“Over £200 billion worth of assets are at risk around British rivers and coasts and those risks are likely to increase over the next 100 years due to changes in climate and in society.”

- Sir David King, Government Chief Scientific Adviser
 

This book presents a comprehensive insight into the flooding system, spanning multiple disciplines across different sectors of the flood and flood management professions. It forecasts the manner in which flooding and coastal erosion risks may increase during the 21st century due to climate change and socio-economic development in the UK and presents an examination of the integrated measures necessary to manage future increases in risk, through sustainable methods. 

It summarises the previously unpublished science and engineering behind the Foresight Project of Flood and Coastal Defence performed on behalf of the Office of Science and Technology (now the Office of Science and Innovation) and reveals the methodological basis for the study as well as its outcomes.

A qualitative assessment of the drivers of flood and coastal erosion risks under various scenarios are presented, with quantitative analysis outlined to demonstrate the efficacy of national databases and the Risk Assessment for Strategic Planning (RASP) tool. The findings in this book demonstrate that to manage future flood and coastal erosion risks sustainably, a portfolio of integrated measures is required. As many of the measures require long lead-times to become effective, the concluding advice is that the time to act is now.

It provides academics, professionals and decision makers with the science base for envisaging and, in due course, achieving detailed guidance on sustainable flood and coastal risk management in the UK during the 21st century.